Special Education Day 2024 is on Monday, December 2, 2024: special education?

Monday, December 2, 2024 is Special Education Day 2024. Special education scholarships 2013 Special education scholarships

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There are a variety of teaching positions available for special education.

Co-teacher - Works in an RE classroom with mainstreamed kids.

Resource Teacher - Pulls out small groups of special ed kids from the regular classroom to give extra instruction, usually in reading, written language and math.

Special Day Class Teacher - There are a number of students who can't be mainstreamed and so they need to be in a special class most of the day. These classes include the following:

*Emotionally Handicapped, Serious Emotional Disturbance or a title similar to that. Usually have serious behavior issues.

*Handicapped Learner - These students have moderate learning disabilities that require modifications to the curriculum that can't be done in an RE classroom.

*Life Skills or EMR, TMR or a similar title - These are children with mild to moderate mental retardation or severe physical disabilities, who need a curriculum that prepares them to live as independently as possible.

*Autism, Asperger's - While some children with these disabilities can be mainstreamed, the majority cannot and need a curriculum that emphasizes communication, socialization and some academics.

*Profound - These children are severely mentally retarded and often medically fragile.

Special School - At times some students cannot be educated on the regular campus and need to attend a special school. Students at these schools tend to be either Profound or severely medically fragile, Seriously Emotionally Disturbed or have severe autism. These schools can be the best places to work because of the camaraderie of the staff (We're all in in together) and the high levels of support (including assistants).

We all have a group we love the best. For me it is EH kids first, then Lifeskills, though I love all kids. I taught kids with EH for 14 years and then went back to school to be a Behavior Analyst. In my current job, I get referrals to work with students with severe behavior issues. I just love it!

I suggest you visit a number of different classrooms to see what feels right for you. The most difficult teaching assignments are grade K-1 - Profound, Life Skills and EH. If you like this age group, get some experience with older kids before going back down to these. They require a very skilled approach because they are not quite civilized when they come to your room.

Do you think I could be a special education teacher one day?

It sounds like you would make a wonderful special education teacher! Since you have experience with a form of autism, I think you should look into that area. Teachers that are specialized in autism are in high demand (there is a major shortage), so that's a plus as far as being able to get a job.

As far as qualifications, you will need a bachelors degree (at least you do here in NC) in education with a concentration in special education. You will get additional certifications in whatever area you choose to specialize in (such as autism). I am going to school at a community college right now, and I will transfer to a university once I complete my associate's degree.

Good luck!!

SPECIAL EDUCATION QUESTION?

1. Why did you make the choice to become a Special Education teacher?

2. What keeps you motivated and brings you back to the classroom every day?

3. Time management is a huge issue with Special Education so how do you manage your time with respect to paperwork, teaching, continuing education, and other school/home responsibilities?

4. What is the best thing about your job?

5. What is the worst thing about your job?

6. How do you feel about the state of the field now versus how it "could be" in X number of years if things continue as is?

7. How do you deal with parents that have unrealistic expectations of their child, the special education staff, and/or the administration?

8. How do you handle teachers in the regular classrooms that are resistant to co-teaching or working with the students with disabilities in the classroom?

9. Where do you want to be before you retire (move up to Principal, Superintendent, College Professor, Consultant, etc)?

10. How do you keep from bringing your students' troubles home with you at night?